International Expansion News--Burger King, McDonald's, Popeyes

Miami--Burger King Int'l. opened its first restaurant in The Republic of Cyprus, one of four to be built in the country over the next year. BKI expects this expansion will create more than 200 new jobs. -PRNewswire

Oak Brook, Illinois--The Hungarian unit of McDonald's opened its first McCafe coffee shop inside a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Budapest. The company decided to venture into a separate coffee business as coffee consumption in Hungary's McDonald's outlets had nearly quadrupled in the past five years. McDonald's Hungary will open three McCafes in 2003. -Reuters

Atlanta--Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits is extending its international reach with signed agreements at the end of 2002 and into 2003 to add more than 214 new restaurants in Mexico, China and Jamaica. The opening of new restaurants in these markets is already underway and is expected to continue over the next 10 years. -PRIMEZONE